◢ Housing program · Verified July 28, 2026
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Federal rental subsidy that pays your landlord directly, covers the gap between 30% of your household income and fair market rent.
Subsidy size
Varies
Tenant pays roughly 30% of adjusted monthly income (maximum 40% on initial lease); the voucher's Housing Assistance Payment covers the rest up to the local Payment Standard, which is typically 90-110% of the local Fair Market Rent. Exact amount depends on family size, income, and where you live. FY2026 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents range from about $1,200/mo in low-cost metros to over $2,900/mo in high-cost metros.
Reach
Over 2.3 million American families receive a Housing Choice Voucher, helping about 5.3 million people including more than 900,000 older adults and 1.4 million people with disabilities (HUD 2026; CBPP Policy Basics, updated June 2026)
Federal program data
Time to apply
Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA and local demand.
Free · no application fee
◢ Section 8 at a glance
- Program: Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
- Administered by: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Subsidy size: Varies
- Cost to apply: Free, there is no application fee
- Application time: Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA and local demand.
- Who it serves: Over 2.3 million American families receive a Housing Choice Voucher, helping about 5.3 million people including more than 900,000 older adults and 1.4 million people with disabilities (HUD 2026; CBPP Policy Basics, updated June 2026)
- Where to apply: Through the official U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) portal or your state's administering office.
◢ What this program does
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (commonly called Section 8) is the federal government's largest rental-assistance program. It is funded by HUD and administered locally by around 2,000 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the country.
If you qualify and receive a voucher, you choose your own private-market rental, house, apartment, or townhouse. The PHA pays your landlord a monthly subsidy called the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), and you pay the difference, generally about 30% of your adjusted monthly income (up to 40% maximum on your initial unit).
Vouchers are portable in most cases, you can move with one between PHAs, including across state lines. Demand far exceeds supply: most PHAs have multi-year waiting lists and many are closed to new applications for extended periods.
In 2026, the program faces political uncertainty. The Trump administration proposed replacing Section 8 with a state block-grant program in its FY2026 budget, but Congress has not passed that proposal. Current voucher holders continue to receive assistance. HUD and PHAs are also implementing new work-activity requirements under recent policy changes.
◢ Who qualifies
Who qualifies for Section 8?
- Household income is generally at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) — HUD publishes exact limits annually by county and metro area at huduser.gov
- 75% of new vouchers must go to households at or below the Extremely Low Income (ELI) limit, which HUD defines as the greater of 30% of local Area Median Income or the federal poverty line. For a 4-person family in FY2026, that floor is $32,150 (federal poverty guideline) in rural/low-cost counties; high-cost metros use a higher figure. Check huduser.gov FY2026 limits for your county
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen status required for at least one household member; head of household must have a valid Social Security number
- Must pass a criminal-background screening; PHAs can deny applicants with certain drug or violent-crime convictions or lifetime sex-offender registration
- No assets test for most households, but income from assets counts toward the income limit. Minimum rent applies ($25-$50/mo set by each PHA, waivable under financial hardship)
A note on eligibility: Final eligibility is determined by the agency administering this program, not by GrantsHubUSA. Confirm current rules with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or your state's office before applying.
◢ How to apply
How do you apply for Section 8?
- 1
Find your local PHA
Use HUD's PHA contact lookup to find every public housing agency in your area. You can apply at any PHA whose waitlist is open.
- 2
Confirm the waitlist is open
Most PHAs publish open/closed status on their site. If closed, set a calendar reminder, many open for only a few days each year.
- 3
Submit a pre-application
Provide household size, gross income, and contact info. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come first-served.
- 4
Wait, and stay reachable
Wait times range from months to several years. Update your address and phone number with the PHA whenever they change, or you'll be removed from the list.
- 5
Verify income and choose a unit
When your name comes up, you'll attend an eligibility appointment plus voucher orientation briefing. After approval, HUD gives you 60 to 120 days to find a landlord who accepts the voucher. If the housing market is tight, contact your PHA and request a search-time extension.
Apply through the official agency
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
◢ Benefit amounts
How much Section 8 can you actually get?
The typical Section 8 benefit is Varies, per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Tenant pays roughly 30% of adjusted monthly income (maximum 40% on initial lease); the voucher's Housing Assistance Payment covers the rest up to the local Payment Standard, which is typically 90-110% of the local Fair Market Rent. Exact amount depends on family size, income, and where you live. FY2026 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents range from about $1,200/mo in low-cost metros to over $2,900/mo in high-cost metros.
Your actual amount depends on household size, gross monthly income, allowed deductions, and where you live. Most federal assistance programs are administered by state agencies with their own income limits and processing rules.
Who receives Section 8? Over 2.3 million American families receive a Housing Choice Voucher, helping about 5.3 million people including more than 900,000 older adults and 1.4 million people with disabilities (HUD 2026; CBPP Policy Basics, updated June 2026). Not every eligible household applies, and participation rates vary by state.
If you have never applied before because you assumed you would not qualify, the practical income limits are often higher than people expect once deductions are factored in. Most working households with children in high-cost states qualify for at least the minimum benefit.
How the amount is calculated. Federal programs use national formulas, but every state adjusts income limits, standard deductions, and household size categories under its own regulations.
The exact dollar amount you receive in Section 8 depends on which state processes your application. For state-specific numbers, check your state's administering agency on the state directory page or visit the official U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) site.
Application timing matters. Most Section 8 decisions take Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA and local demand.. Applying at the start of a program cycle or fiscal year usually gets you into the queue before annual funding runs low.
Some programs like LIHEAP have seasonal windows that close mid-year; others like SNAP and Medicaid process year-round with rolling eligibility.
What if your amount seems wrong? Every state provides a written notice explaining the calculation, and every applicant has the right to a fair hearing to challenge a benefit amount or denial.
Bring the notice, your income documents, and any deduction receipts to the hearing. Most challenges succeed when a household proves a deduction was not applied.
◢ Quick facts
- Application time
- Application is fast (1–2 hours of paperwork). Wait between application and voucher is typically 6 months to 5+ years depending on the PHA and local demand.
- Cost to apply
- Free, there is no application fee
- Administering agency
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Last verified
- July 28, 2026
◢ Frequently asked
Common Section 8 questions
It varies wildly by city. Some PHAs publish wait times of 6–18 months; large-city PHAs (NYC, LA, Chicago) routinely have wait times of 5–10 years and may stay closed for years at a time. Always apply at every PHA in your commute radius, not just the one closest to home.
Federal law does not require landlords to accept vouchers, but a growing number of states and cities have passed source-of-income protection laws that make refusal illegal in those jurisdictions. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) maintains an up-to-date map of which states and cities have these protections, check it for your area before assuming a landlord can legally refuse.
No. The household pays approximately 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. The voucher pays the difference up to a Payment Standard (typically 90–110% of the local Fair Market Rent).
Common reasons: household income above 50% of area median, prior eviction from federally-subsidized housing for fraud, lifetime sex-offender registration, certain felony drug convictions in the past 3 years, and owing money to a PHA. Each PHA has its own additional screening criteria.
No. As of mid-2026, the Housing Choice Voucher program continues to operate. The Trump administration's FY2026 budget proposed replacing Section 8 with a state block-grant program, but Congress has not passed that proposal. Current voucher holders continue receiving assistance, and PHAs are still issuing vouchers where funding allows. Under recent policy changes, PHAs and property owners may require work-eligible adults to engage in work activities up to 40 hours per week as a condition of receiving assistance.
Yes. In 2024, 65% of non-elderly, non-disabled households using Housing Choice Vouchers were working or had worked recently, per CBPP analysis of HUD administrative data. Section 8 is not welfare, it is a wage subsidy that closes the gap between what low-wage workers earn and what market rents cost. The typical voucher household earns income; the voucher covers only the shortfall.
◢ Primary sources
Where every claim comes from
Every fact on this page is verifiable against one of the primary sources below. Follow any link to confirm, that's our standing commitment.
- 01HUD: Housing Choice Voucher Applicant and Tenant Resources
www.hud.gov/helping-americans/housing-choice-vouchers-tenants
- 02HUD: Public Housing Agency Directory (find your local PHA)
www.hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts
- 03HUD User: FY 2026 Income Limits Documentation System
www.huduser.gov/datasets/il/il2026
- 04HUD User: Fair Market Rents (FY 2026)
www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html
- 05CBPP: Policy Basics on the Housing Choice Voucher Program
www.cbpp.org/research/housing/the-housing-choice-voucher-program
- 06National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC): Source of Income Protections map
nlihc.org/resource/expanding-choice-practical-strategies-building-more-inclusive-communities
◢ Related guide
Long-form guide
Read our deep-dive Section 8 guide
Editorial fact-check
This program profile was verified on July 28, 2026.
Every eligibility rule, dollar amount, and deadline on this page was cross-checked against the primary sources listed above before publication, and is reviewed on a rolling schedule as federal and state rules change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us , corrections typically ship within 48 hours.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial blog, we're not a government agency and we don't administer this program. Always confirm current eligibility, deadlines, and benefit amounts with the administering agency before applying. See our full disclaimer.
◢ Other programs
More aid you might qualify for
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Monthly food benefits delivered on an EBT card, the largest US anti-hunger program, formerly known as food stamps.
$298/mo
Federal Pell Grant
Need-based federal grant for undergraduate college, up to $7,395 per year that you do not have to pay back.
$7,395/yr
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Federal help paying your home heating, cooling, and energy-crisis bills, apply through your state, tribe, or territory's LIHEAP office.
Varies